The State of the Stash

The stash has grown considerably. Thanks to the fiber-related event of the weekend...

That's the lovely but blogless Amy, me in the middle and Tracy of LeftiesK2 posing mid-spree at the Market at Stitches East yesterday. I go to Stitches every year. You can take classes, but I don't, I usually just go and shop and that's about all the bank account can take. But that's ok. Stitches used to be in Atlantic City for us, which was closer of course. This year it was in Baltimore which is further, but still ok, because this year it was much, much bigger. So of course you know I just had to buy that much more...

See, I'm already trying to pack it up and get it in the closet to hide the evidence! I purchased a few different patterns. Buying patterns is always a good strategy, you can always buy yarn later, and if you're not going to knit it right away it takes much less room in your stash! The silvery thing in the upper left is one of those silky little sock-knitting sized bags from Lantern Moon I've always wanted (I totally adore it and don't know why I didn't order it sooner.) Tracy got mad because she had picked this one up before I saw it and then realized it was the color I wanted when it was in her hand. Bad timing I guess, but she didn't want to buy one so hey! Gimmie!Anyway, I also got the new book from Stitchy McYarnpants which is hilarious! And it was nice that we also got to meet Stitchy and she signed our books! She was very, very sweet and down to earth (aren't most knitters?) and I gushed that I've been reading her blog way before the book was even mentioned. Definitely check it out if you've never read it, it always cracks me up. I got a nice sweater kit from Shelridge farms that I can't wait to make (more on that when it gets knitted.) And then there was the down fall I purchased.

10 skeins.

10 skeins of sock yarn.

I spent a good part of the next day after the big spree shaking my head and muttering that to myself over and over. There are a couple missing from the picture- one is a gifty skein for a friend, and also one of the skeins of the Louet Gems has already been cast on and is being swatched. I have to start these socks for my dad soon! But still, 10 skeins? Where did I lose my head? I set out to get some more 'masculine' sock yarn colors because I have a few men I realize I could be knitting socks for as gifts yet had no manly sock yarn in the stash to speak of. So I guess it's ok, I did purchase mostly along those lines. And the lavendar is probably going to be for my mom later in the year for some birthday socks.

And then I finally purchased this much needed item.

It's a doubled pointed needle case from Crippenworks. I've been stalking this website for awhile but never saw an available fabric that really spoke to me. So it was a great opportunity to see her booth at the show, because she had a ton of cases available in a bunch of different fabrics. This case is so professional and well made I just can't get over it. And my double points totally deserve it, they've been riding around in a pitiful ziploc bag for way too long. It was almost a tragedy.

Oh and did you think I should have bought more? Ok cause I did. I also bought a bunch of yarn from WEBS to make their new Main Street pullover pattern. They had sold out of the yarn for it though, so I bought it and it will be shipped to me later this week. So there is stash that has been added that has not even yet to be seen. So I think I did good. I like what I got. And the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking I'd kind of rather be knitting right now:) Toodles all...